The Business Coach: Keep It Professional

Business is Business, so don’t get caught up in making it too personal. The minute a business tobusiness relationship becomes too personal, trouble is surely looming just around the corner.Now don’t get me wrong, there is absolutely nothing wrong with having small talk about family, hobbies, likes and dislikes, because “it can be a large component in your overall business bonds. Obviously, you don’t want to be too controversial (the rule about avoiding politics and religion is truer than ever) and you want to watch just what you reveal about yourself.Yes – sharing small personal details as part of your business conversation tends to make you human.

Indeed, “professional relationships should be personable, but they must be guided by decorum and specific boundaries. Abandoning parameters can create conflict, loss of respect and even embarrassment.”

Below are some fundamental steps to establishing and maintaining personable yet professional business relationships.

Step 1 – Formalize your business relationship by having all parties involved sign a contract that clearly outlines each party’s responsibilities and expectations.

Step 2 – Set the right example by addressing others with a respectful – polite tone and good

attitude, even under stress. Use proper language and avoid using lingo, slang or profanity.

Step 3 – Write professional correspondence by addressing the addressee with the proper salutation.

For example, write or type, “Mr. Smith,” unless the person is commonly addressed as John or Johnny. And, spell out words instead of using acronyms to avoid any confusion or miscommunication.

Step 4 – Answer phone calls using your first and last name. Don’t chit-chat excessively. Politely get to the point. Also, use your first and last name when making outbound calls.